Taximeter



March 17, c COIL 2,034,389

TAXIMETER Filed June 22, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l I l 2 i ammy Q with cam surfaces 3.

Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application June 22, 1933, Serial No. 677,090

7 Claims.

The object of this invention is to prevent abuses on the part of taxicab drivers in regard to the non-recording waiting time mechanism of taximeters. It has been found that in many cases .drivers repeatedly throw the flag to non-recording waiting time and thereby prevent the taximeter from registering the fare which should have accrued incident to waiting time. One of the objects of this invention is to provide means whereby the flag can be thrown to non-recording waiting time once during a given trip and thereby stop the clock mechanism as long as the vehicle remains stationary but the driver cannot repeat this operation Mechanism, however, is provided whereby on a subsequent stop, such as where the passenger is being discharged, a reasonable interval of time will be allowed to discharge the passenger without the clock mechanism running, the object being to prevent an additional fare being registered while the passenger is being discharged. Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the clock mechanism will be set in motion if the vehicle is moved a short distance, such as for one to thirty feet, when the flag is in non-registering position.

Additional objects will appear in the detailed specification and in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the taximeter having my invention incorporated therein with the casing removed;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the fixed gear and flexible gear shown in the lower left hand portion of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the mechanism shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view partly in cross section on substantially the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the switch mechanism mounted on the flag shaft; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of certain of the cams mounted on the flag shaft.

The worm I is driven in the conventional method from a moving part of the vehicle, such as the transmission shaft of the vehicle, and rotates an amount determined by the distance through which the vehicle is moved. This worm is on a shaft 2 which is provided at its upper end A clock driven gear 4 is secured to a shaft 5 provided with a bevelled gear 6 which meshes with and drives a bevelled gear I secured to a shaft 8 provided with pinions '9 and I which correspond with the pinions I40 and MM shown in the patent to Julius Gluck 1,612,864, patented January 4, 1927. These pinions drive a pinion I I secured to a shaft I2 in identically the same method as shown in the said patent with the exception that instead of having a single gear I43 as shown in the said patent I have provided a gear I3 which may be called a fixed gear, which meshes with the gear 9 and also a flexible gear I4 which is partly hollow as shown in Figure 2. In the hollow portion thereof and imbedded in the flexible gear I4 is a coil spring I5 which has its other end anchored to 10 a pin I6 carried by the fixed gear I3. An adjustable plate I! is provided with a slot I8 through which extends set screws I9 extending into the flexible pinion I4 and serving as a means to secure the plate I1 to the flexible gear and also as a means whereby the shoulder of the plate may be held in adjusted position relative to the pin IS. The gear II normally meshes with both the gears I3 and I4 and the gear I4 under such conditions performs no functions. The gear II, however, is mounted on a sleeve 2| provided with shoulders 22 forming a channel 23 therebetween which receives a pin 24 carried by a lever 25 pivoted on a stud 26. The upper end of this lever is pulled towards the left as shown 25 in Figure 1 by means of a spring 21. This lever is provided with a nose 28 which is engaged by a cam 29 on a cam shaft 30 which, as shown in the said patent, is geared to the flag shaft 3|. When the cam shaft 30 is in its home position, that is, with the flag up as shown in the said patent, the lever 32 holds the gear I3 out of mesh with the gear I I so that even if the vehicle is driven there would be no motion imparted to the shaft I2. When, however, the flag is thrown to its 90 de- 35 gree position, the shaft I2 would be driven for a pre-determined distance or time through the small gear I 0 as fully explained in the said patent. After this initial period, however, the lever 32 would be moved so as to bring the gear I3 into mesh with the gear II. Incidentally, as above mentioned, the gear I4 would also mesh with the gear I I so that the gears I3 and I4 would now rotate together. If the flag is now thrown to its non-recording position the cam 29 would engage the nose 28 of the lever 25 and shift the said lever in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1, thereby moving the sleeve 2I and gear II to the right as viewed in said figure so that the gear II would mesh with the gear I4 only. If the vehicle is now driven, the gear I3 would rotate and thereby move the pin I6 from the shoulder 20 of the plate I1 towards the stop 33 of the gear I4 but this movement would not drive the gear I4 until the said pin reached the said stop.

.The length of the distance between the shoulder 29 and the stop 33 may, as above mentioned, be varied so as to vary the time during which it would take the clock mechanism to make this movement from a few seconds to a considerably longer period of time, such as two minutes. It is, therefore, apparent that a pre-determined interval of waiting time will be allowed to the passenger whenever the clock is thrown to the nonrecording waiting time even though the clock should be running and for which no charge would be made. This should, of course, be used only when the passenger is being discharged and thereby prevent the registering of an additional fare when the passenger is being discharged.

However, the first time the flag is thrown to the non-recording waiting time the clock is stopped by mechanism that is well-known. This mechanism usually consists of a spring 34 mounted on a lever 35 which engages and actuates the balance wheel 33 of the clock. This. arm is usually controlled by a cam on the flag shaft. Ihave adopted this same mechanism except that I have provided the switch mechanism in place of the usual cam on the flag shaft, and which mech .anism is shown in perspective View in Figure 5, the object being to prevent the clock being stopped more than once when the flag isv thrown to non-recording position; that is, the operator can throw the flag to non-recording position any number of times he wishes but the clock willbe stopped only the first time that he so throws it. The lever 35 is provided with a nose. 3? as shown in Figure 1 which normally rests on periphery 38 of. the switch member 39 shown in Figure 5. When the flag is moved to its non-recording, or 270 degree, position, the nose 3'6 of the lever 35 drops into the depression 45. of the switch member 39' which is secured to the flag shaft 3|, thereby permitting the spring 4!. (Figure 1) to move. the lever 35' so as to engage the spring 34 with the balance wheel 36 and stop the clock. If now the flag is rotated reversely, which would be clockwise as viewed in Figure 5, the nose 3'! of the lever 35 will engage the forwardly extending flat spring 42 and a second flat spring. 43, thereby guiding the. nose 3'! of the lever 35 onto an. arcuate surface 44 of. the switch member 39, which arcuate. surface has a greater diameter than that of. the surface forming the depression 40., thereby elevating or rotating anti-clockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, the lever 35 and disengaging the spring 34 from the balance wheel 36 so. that the clock will now run. The flat spring 43' extends only a very short distance behind the forward end of spring 42 shown in. Figure 5'. The driver can. now move his fiag. shaft back and forth, as many times as he wishes to non-recording'position but the lever 3.5 will notbe actuated because its nose 3?. rides on the arcuate surface 44, being prevented from moving laterally from this surface by spring 43, and the clock will, therefore, continue to run. When, however, he throws his flag to its vacant position the nose 3'! of the lever 35 engages the fiat spring 45 of the switch member 3.9. and the said nose 3'! drops into the depression 46 of the switch. member 39. The said. lever 35 has sufiicient free play to permit of the slight sideways motion that would be necessary on account of the shifting caused by the switch member.

I desire to set the clock mechanism in operation if the driver, after throwing the flag to the non-recording position, should drive the vehicle an appreciable distance. Assuming that he has thrown the flag to the non-recording position and that it is the first time that he has so thrown it, the nose 31 of the lever 35 will then be lowered into the depression 40* of the switch member shown in Figure 5 and the spring 34 will be engaged with the balance wheel 36 so that the clock is stopped. If the driver now operates the car the cam surface 3 on the shaft 2 will be rotated by the movement of the vehicle and will raise the lever 41, which engages the cam surface 3, rotating the said lever clockwise as viewed in. Figure 4 on its pivot 48. This lever is attached to a bar 49 by means of a pin 50. The bar 49' is pulled downwardly by means of a spring 5! so as to keep the lever 41 in engagement with the cam surface 3. The cam shaft 3| has secured thereto a sleeve 52 provided with a flat surface 54 and a cam. depression 55. Normally, that is, when the flag shaft is in its home position, a pin 53 carried by slide bar 51 engages the surface 54 but when the flag is rotated to its non-recording position. the cam depression 55 will: lie adjacent the pin 56' and the spring 58 secured to the slide bar 51. will. tend to pull. the slide bar to the right as, viewed in. Figure 4. However, the slide bar 51 can thus move only a short distance for it is stopped. by a pawl 59 mounted on a pivot 60, which pawl engages a shoulder 6| of the slide bar 51. This limited movement, however, is sufficient to bring a cut-away portion. 62. of the slide bar above the, nose 63 of. the lever 64 pivoted. on a pin 35 and having an arm 66 which normally engages an. arm 61 of the bar 48, thereby permitting the lever 64 to be rotated slightly in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4 to free the arm 66 from. the. arm 61 so that the spring 5! may rotate the bar 49 in an anti-clockwise direction asviewed in. Figure 4 so that the stud. 68 of the pawl 59 will. be immediately above the shoulder 69. of the bar 49. A further rotation of the shaft 2 and cam surface 3 willv cause an. up. and down reciprocating movement of the bar 49 so that. the shoulder 69 will engage and raise the pawl 59 through the stud. 68, thereby disengaging the said pawl from the. shoulder Bl so that the spring 58 will move theslide bar 5? to theright as viewed in Figure 4 This slide bar is secured by means of a pin 10 to a lever H pivoted on a stud 12, which lever is provided with an arm l3 which carries a stud 14 which underlies the spring- 34. This movement rotates the lever ll in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4 so that the stud 74 engages the spring 34 and raises it out. of. engagement with the balance wheel 36 so that the clock will run. It is, therefore, apparent that if the driver moves the cab a. short distance the clock will be freed even though the flag is left in non-recording. position.

If, therefore, the driver throws the flag more than once to the non-recording position, the clock will. run with the following exceptions. It will not run during the interval of. time that the flag is. left in its non-recording position for the first time unless the vehicle should be moved a sufficient distance to free the spring 34 from the balance wheel 36 by the engagement. of the stud 14 with the spring and the clock will not run for a short period of time when the flag is again thrown toits non-recording position, or until the pin it shown in Figure 3 has traveled a sufficient distance to engage the stop surface 33, which allows a sufficient time for the passenger to alight and pay his fare without registering an additional fare. The vehicle should. never be moved when the flag is, in non-recording position and if it is moved more than a very short distance, the stud 14 would engage the balance wheel 34 and free the clock mechanism.

When the flag is thrown from non-recording position to its home position the pin 56 carried by the slide bar 51 is moved by the sloping side of the cam depression 55 to the left as viewed in Figure 4 against the tension of the spring 58. The shoulder 6| of the slide bar passes beyond the nose of the pawl 59 so that the pawl drops into the position shown in Figure 4. Also the nose 63 of the pawl 64 is moved downwardly so that the arm 66 engages the arm 61 of the bar 49 moving the upper end of the bar 49 out of engagement with the pin 68 so that the parts are reset to the position shown in Figure 4.

In certain of the claims the words flag cycle are used. By this expression I mean any movements which may be given to the flag and the parts operated thereby from the time the fiag is moved from its vacant or upright position until it has been moved into the same position. If, therefore, the fiag were moved from its vacant position to its degree position and then to its degree or 270 degree positions and then moved back to the 90 degree position and even if the movement from the 90 degree position to the 270 degree position were repeated any number of times, the flag then being returned to its vacant position, all such movement would be one flag cycle.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a taximeter, a shaft having a plurality of significant positions, one of which is a nonrecording position, a clock forming a part of the taximeter, means whereby said clock is held against operation the first time said shaft is moved into non-recording position, and means to render said means inoperative when the shaft is moved into non-recording position for the second time in the same flag cycle.

2. In a taximeter, a shaft having a plurality of significant positions, one of which is a nonrecording position, a clock, a cam on said shaft, a lever controlled by said cam to render the clock inoperative when the shaft is first moved into its non-recording position, and means to render said cam inoperative if the shaft is moved for a second time into its non-recording position in the same flag cycle.

3. In a taximeter, a shaft having a plurality of significant positions, one of which is a non-recording position, a clock, a cam on said shaft, a lever controlled by said cam to render the clock inoperative when the shaft is first moved into its non-recording position, and a switch mechanism to render said cam inoperative if the shaft is moved for a second time into its non-recording position in the same flag cycle.

4. In a taximeter, a shaft having a plurality of significant positions, one of which is a non-recording position, a cam mounted on said shaft, a lever controlled by said cam, a clock means whereby said lever causes said clock to be stopped when the shaft is first thrown to its non-recording position. and a switch mechanism to prevent the lever being controlled by said cam if the shaft is subsequently moved into a non-recording position in the same flag cycle.

5. In a taXimeter, a shaft having a plurality of significant positions, one of which is a nonrecording position, a cam secured to said shaft, a clock, a lever, means whereby said lever is moved when said cam is first moved into its non-recording position so as to stop said clock, and a switch movable with said cam to prevent the lever engaging said cam for a second time in the same flag cycle.

6. In a taximeter, a shaft having a plurality of significant positions, one of which is a non-recording position, a clock, a shaft driven thereby, a gear controlled by said shaft so that said gear rot-ates constantly when said clock is running, a second gear resiliently connected to the firstmentioned gear so as to normally rotate therewith, a driven shaft, a gear carried thereby and normally meshing with both of said gears, means whereby when the first-mentioned shaft is r0- tated to its non-recording position the driven gear will be moved longitudinally on its shaft so as to engage only the second-mentioned gear, and

means whereby when the first-mentioned gear is rotated a pre-determined distance after the driven gear has been thus moved the secondmentioned gear will rotate with the first-mentioned gear and drive the driven shaft.

7. In a taximeter, a shaft having a plurality of significant positions, one of which is a non-recording position, a clock, means whereby when the shaft is first thrown into its non-recording position said clock will be stopped, means to render said means inoperative if the flag is again thrown into its non-recording position, a driven shaft, driving means between the said clock and driven shaft whereby said shaft is normally driven by said clock, and means to render inoperative said driving connection for a predetermined interval of time when said shaft is thrown in the same flag cycle into its non-recording position for a second time.

GROVER C. COIL. 

